In the Year of Our Lord 1900
by Zero Celsius
Summary: The Belmont Clan has moved into the 20th Century, while a mysterious young man who had no recollection of his past, becomes friends with the Second Head of the Belmonts, Richter.


I don't crap

I don't own crap. I do not own the characters, I don't own the world, I don't own their names, or where they came from, I do not even own the rights to the program I'm writing this darned thing on, so don't even think of claiming I say I did. Truth is, I'm flat broke. The characters and all related there of, belong to Konami [those lucky ********] and the program belongs to Microsoft [those rich ********]. 

This is an alternate universe, and there may be yaoi implications out of pure habit, but unless my brain has another conference with the asparagus, I don't see it as going anywhere else.

****

In The Year of Our Lord 1900

By Zero Celsius

The train creaked as it passed through the countryside. The two men had fallen asleep, Adrian had his head propped up against the window, while Rich laid back with his neck craned towards the aisle. The stewardess's giggled in delight at the two men sleeping and one brought it upon her self to deliver some pillows to the two men. She gently leaned in to place one under Adrian's neck and stepped in to do the same for Rich. His eyes opened dazedly and he grasped the pillow lovingly like a teddy bear and curled down into his seat into an even more awkward position. The stewardess had to stifle a bout of laughter as she watched him and glanced back at the other girls in pure enjoyment to the spectacle. 

She tiptoed away from their cubby area and went to the travel guide, "You are one lucky woman to be traveling with those two," she whispered to her.

"Yeah they are a fun couple," she answered.

The stewardess looked shocked, "Are they a couple?" Her small eyebrow crinkled slightly and her lip plumped.

"No," laughed the Travel Guide quietly, "They're just really good friends. If I hadn't known any better I would have guessed they were brothers. So far they have been all over Northern Europe together and now they're going on the Eastern European guide. As I understand it, those two don't like to sit still. Yesterday I heard them talking about their Asian tour, and I hear it was quite a spectacle."

"Why?" asked the Stewardess, she just loved hearing about those boys. They were so adorable, it was hard to be around them without giggling.

"According to the other travel guide I talked to yesterday, they were extremely popular over there."

There was a collective chuckle between them as they imagined them surrounded by the Asian locals and Adrian stuttering through every minute of it. He seemed the submissive of the two. While Rich spent most of his time chattering away about last weeks date, while Adrian would just listen quietly and smile. They were fun to watch and even funnier when they couldn't make up their minds. 

When they stopped in northern Italy, they had spent two hours fighting over who should buy the hand-made tapestry, that had apparently caught Adrian's eye. Rich, ended up picking it up for him, but the adventure it had engendered was a lot of fun for everyone on the trip. Including the fight that buying the tapestry had caused after that! 

For the next few days, the new argument consisted of, 

"You didn't have to do that! It was too expensive!" Adrian would holler.

"Hey, what are friends for if you can't get them anything?" Rich would counter.

"You don't buy friends five hundred dollar tapestries!" shot Adrian.

"Then what do you spend five hundred dollars worth on?"

That would usually stunt Adrian for a moment, because he knew the next answer Richter was expecting was "Girlfriend or something," but he wouldn't say it.

"Well, not on friends! I'll get you back. I promise."

"You like it don't you?" Rich would ask smugly.

"Yes."

"Well, then were even."

Then, for the rest of the night there would be silence. The only sounds that would echo from the cabin, was Adrian's habit of literally growling under his breath. It was interesting to watch and the Guide had to double check when she had heard it for the first time, but after spending two weeks with the group already, she had gotten used to it.

Finally they had arrived in Hungry for the next part of the tour. Adrian's eye bounced open and he looked around yawning wearily. Richter smiled back and couldn't help himself, "Your cute when you sleep, you know that?" 

Adrian hit him with his pillow, "For a guy who is supposed to be straight, you sure do make a lot of comments." 

"Oh really, I hadn't noticed?" He smirked. He stood up getting their bags and flashed the Stewardess's his trademark grin. Adrian adjusted his thick coat and ran his hands through his hair. It was always too damned long, but he couldn't do anything about it. No matter what he did to cut it, with in two weeks it would grow back. He huffed at the amount of tangles it collected, and grabbed his bag. Rich had already ran out to meet the tour guide, Daniel. 

"Welcome to Hungry…" she began as they all got their things together. Adrian looked around sleepily and even leaned on Rich for a few moments as his mind dozed off into dreamland. 

"Wake up sleepy head or we're going to leave without you," Rich whispered in his ear.

"Mmmmm," hummed Adrian.

"I have to admit, you are the first person I know who can fall asleep standing up."

"Ummhmmm."

Rich laughed and pushed Adrian off of him. He loved the way Adrian was always falling asleep. If there wasn't something to do or keep him busy, he would fall asleep in the chairs, in lines, and one time at lunch. It usually wasn't until almost dusk that the poor boy would finally stay awake and by then it was time to sleep. 

More than a few times, he had told Adrian to go to the doctor, but his usual reply would be, "I did, but he doesn't know what's wrong with me."

Some how, Rich found it hard to believe, but he wouldn't push it any further. It wasn't like they were close friends. In fact, the first time they had ever met was on a trip to France, where they had met up with another tour group two years ago, and ever since then, they had made sure to plan each other's vacations around the same time. 

Richter, or as his most common name was, Rich, lived in New Jersey. He was second in command of Weapons.com, an Internet company that specialized in all kinds of weaponry. From firearms to blades, they had it all, but their main attraction was their vast collection of Ancient Artifacts that they managed to acquire. From time to time, their site would arrange for grand auctions of the artifacts that consisted of Ancient Japanese Armors to the Elaborate Shields of Europe. 

Needless to say, Richter had no qualms in spending vast amounts of money on friends, and even more on his love interests. It was easy for him and he needn't ever worry about a job, because the entire company itself was family owned by Belmont Enterprises. They had their hands everywhere and it was said secretly that their fortune was in the billions. If it had anything to do with weapons, historically or technologically, it was a safe bet they had their hand in it somewhere. 

As for Adrian, there wasn't much to say, because he didn't remember anything before waking up in the hospital. He was told that he was found in an old cemetery in the southern half of Romania locked in a coffin, but he couldn't recall any of what happened. Most of the details were never fully revealed to him, but he really didn't want to know. After all, he was found locked in some cemetery in the middle of no where in clothing that seemed to crumble the moment he attempted to move. What ever happened out there, he supposed it was enough for him to forget and he didn't care. The only thing he could remember was that his name was Adrian and that was all. 

It was later surmised in a report that who ever took care of him before, had to have kept him locked away for the most part of his entire life, if not all. It was the usual bad parent didn't want kids, until they figured they could bury him alive and never worry about him again. It was almost a miracle that expansion in the Romanian county, forced surveyors to move part of the cemetery, or he would have never been found. Which is most of the reason why, Adrian felt it better not to remember. 

Although he had to admit, he was lucky in more ways then one, when a wealthy couple took him in. Even the doctors were surprised when Tom and Virginia Dragasani offered to take care of his bills and accept him into the family. Virginia had gone in for an operation on her he heart, when Tom had been watching them bring in the pale faced boy and from then on he said he couldn't just let the boy go out into the world alone. They had watched the drama unfold before their eyes in the span of their visit and immediately saw Adrian as the son they had lost two years ago in a drinking and driving accident. 

Since, Adrian had no existing relatives and no records seemed to come up on him, they had moved him to California, America and cared for him. They taught him English, after the discovery of his lacking skills became apparent and watched as the Adrian's world became more familiar. He soaked up knowledge like a sponge, and within the five years, he had regained his academic skills, and even excelled when he finally got the hang of English. 

For them, he wrote hundreds of poems and worked endlessly to make sure he repaid them for their kindness. He worked in the garden, surprised them with flowers every morning and after the discovery was made that he could paint, he painted a huge portrait of them to hang over the fireplace. For those few years that they had him, they couldn't have asked for anyone better and unconditionally named him the son of their entire estate. They just decided to ignore some of the health issues that plagued their new son, most noticeably, his pale skin and his long hair. 

Time and time again, they had attempted to cut his hair, but it always returned with in the week. His skin was always unbelievably pale and during the day he was uncontrollably tired, despite how many medications they got him. He ate his steaks almost completely rare and never got sick. He drank phenomenal amounts of water and his immune system was completely and utterly perfect. They couldn't complain, but for someone who was supposed to have been shut out from the world, he was strangely healthy. 

After the fifth year, they decided to send him off to discover the world in hopes that he might remember something, but failed. The only thing he found on those trips, was Richter, and from then on they were a constant pair. They hung out when each visited the other's city and planned every vacation so that they could hang out together. 

Some of the psychiatrists had hoped that this meant that Richter may have been in some way related to his past, but Richter had no idea who he was. He only knew, that he was the only guy he could get along with on long vacations. 

Finally, after hunting every historical site within walking distance they reached the hotel. As usual, they had requested their room together, and went on upstairs to their room. It was a classic little cottage styled building that was most likely about a few hundred years older than America herself, and by the sounds of the creeks they had a hunch they were right. They found their room and went into to try and make a decision on who got which bed. There were two side by side, but one was by the window and one faced a wall. 

Daniel wasn't surprise in the least when she heard the tall tale sounds of their voices bouncing off the walls. The other passengers all exchanged chuckles and got their own room keys. The hotel key keeper looked at Daniel wearily.

"Who are those two?" he asked Daniel.

"Oh those two, " she said signing all the papers, "Don't worry about them they're just really good friends. I promise they won't try and kill each other."

He nodded for a moment then looked at her.

"Who is the pale one?" he asked a little strangely.

"Oh him…that's Adrian," she answered, figuring he was a little freaked out about how pale he was.

"Not to be superstitious or anything, but you know how some of the locals are in the other parts of the country."

She looked at him. She was aware of the problems. She had had to live in this area for a year, to get the language down right, and knew full well what he meant, but till he mentioned it she didn't think much of it.

"Yeah I know, but they can't still be that bad."

The man looked at her and cocked an eye. He was obviously not the superstitious one, but it was apparent he had a few encounters.

"My great grandmother still hangs cloves of garlic at her door, you tell me?" he made huge gestures.

They both laughed. She knew him well enough to know his grandmother, who was a riot. She was a mini army all encompassed in one tiny monster of a woman. She sewed her own clothes, killed her own chickens, and cooked up a storm whenever she visited, but she was definitely a woman of the old ways. She attended church ritually and was always lecturing everyone about the sacrifices of the good Savior, along with about a million charms in her purse to hand to everyone for good luck. 

"He just has a skin disorder that's all," she answered.

"Yeah I know that, but when you take the train into the smaller regions on your way to Romania, make sure to remind your guest that there might be some hostile greetings."

"I'll tell him. Thanks Borge. And by the way, E-mail me sometime will ya?" 

"I promise I will."

They laughed and she went to her room. 

Meanwhile, Adrian had won for the window side-bed and snuggled up in the down comforters. 

"I wish I could take these home," he announced off-handily. Richter looked over to see the mound of down with one pale foot hanging out the bottom.

"I don't think they would like that much," he commented and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. He changed into his usual sweat pants and a tank top and brush through his hair. His brown hair hung to his shoulders in an orderly mess and he smirked at the site of his own face. "Damn I like myself," he joked.

He got his things together and went back to see Adrian starring out the window, already in his pajamas of red satin pants and a matching button up shirt. 

"Hey, something interesting out there?" he asked, noticing Adrian's constant stare out into the night. When he didn't receive an answer he got a little worried, "Hey Adrian!"

Still no answer came from the man. His hair cascaded loosely down his back and something in the way it was moving caught Rich's eye. He watched closely, as a motion trail phased through the air in its path. He shook his head for moment unable to get a clear vision. He inched up to Adrian and walked up along side him to see his gaze trapped perfectly on the moon outside. 

"Adrian?" he asked quietly. He waved his hand in his face, but still got no response. If he didn't know Adrian naturally looked that way, he would have guessed he was dead. He examined the expressionless look on Adrian's face and a jolt of fear for his friend ran up his spine. "ADRIEN!?"

He couldn't help himself. He gripped Adrian's shoulders and shook him violently, only to hear a long and drawn out growl bellow from Adrian's throat. He shook him again and Adrian collapsed. "ADRIEN?!" 

He held him up and hurried him to his bed. He laid him out and began to try and make sense of his state. Daniel came running in. She was used to their screaming, but the desperation was immediate in those words. She ran in, to find a panicked Richter trying to shake Adrian awake. Adrian stirred, but only began gasping for air. He tossed his head back and fourth as if he was suffocating. He gritted his teeth and Richter jumped back.

"What's wrong?" questioned Daniel as she saw Richter go pale. 

He stared at Adrian long and hard, trying to forget what he thought he saw.

"What is it?" she demanded. She didn't know what was going on, least of all, what was wrong with Adrian.

"It was nothing," he answered back looking at her then throwing a questioningly glare at Adrian.

"Are you sure? You acted like he had bit you or something."

"Yeah I'm fine."

By this time, Adrian began calming down again and lay against his pillow, peacefully. She watched.

"Was he having a bad dream or something?" she inquired.

"I don't know. I just found him standing by the window, when he just collapsed and went into this fit."

She crossed her arms over her body and surveyed the room. 

"Well, he looks okay for now, but while we go to the church, I want you go take him for a check up. Will you please? I don't want him left alone with people he doesn't know, " she asked worriedly.

"Yeah of course," he answered immediately, "I'll pay for everything while I'm there."

She shook her head in agreement and went out the door. 

For the rest of the night, Adrian didn't move. He slept soundly against the pillows, and only jostled slightly to hug his comforter tighter to his chest. Richter brought the covers over him and checked his forehead to make sure he wasn't sick or anything. When he was satisfied with the temperature he went to his own bed, and fell asleep to the site of the moon lining Adrian's face with its pale glow. He had never really took the time to look at his friend, but as he laid there with the sight of his long snowy tresses sprawled out over the bed, he had a humorous thought that slightly unnerved him. For one split second he thought Adrian was beautiful.

Chapter 2

Morning came almost too soon. Richter sat up and stretched, glancing at the bed expecting Adrian in his usual drooling state, to find the bed mysteriously empty. He leaped from the bed and looked around.

"ADRIEN!?" he hollered around the room. He checked under the beds and in the closet, then dashed his way out into the hall and ran for Daniel's room. 

She dragged herself out of bed, accidentally slammed her foot into her suitcase, and finally made it to the door.

"Yes?" she asked, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"I can't find Adrian," he announced grabbing a hold of her, as if she wouldn't understand and he had to make every syllable worth it.

She shot a glance at him, "What?"

"I can't find him."

"He's not in the room?"

"No, I woke up and he was gone."

She thought for a moment a little panicked.

"Did you check downstairs?"

He though for a moment. "Umm actually, no I didn't."

She sighed. " He probably just went out for a bit or is downstairs having breakfast."

He loosed his grip and thought about it…."Oh yeah. Probably. Sorry."

He turned around and walked to his room. 'How could I he be so stupid?' he thought to himself. He noticed Adrian's bed was already neatly made and his pajamas were carefully set on the chair by the bed. 'She's probably right.' 

He got his own things and headed for the bathroom. He needed a hot shower. His head was reeling from last night and he needed to unwind. He had been so worried about Adrian that he worked himself into a knot, not to mention he was still trying to make sense of what he saw last night. If he hadn't had known better, he would have guessed Adrian was changing. 

He stepped into the hot shower and just stood there as the shower rained over his entire body. He closed his eyes and recalled the glimpse he saw in Adrian's eyes as if they were becoming animal in some way. He remembered looking down and seeing them dilate and round out to resemble a wolf's. They flashed one desperate gaze and slammed shut to reveal fangs forming in Adrian's mouth. It was that that had scared him. He remembered as Adrian's head wrenched back and his entire body arched and exposed the canines in hiding. He had noted before that Adrian had sharp teeth, he had noticed when he first saw him smile, but they had seemed somehow longer, like a scene from a horror movie.

He blinked against the water and washed the soap from his long brown hair. He thought for a moment that he should get a hair cut, but after carefully recalling that he got a lot of his dates because of his hair, he banished the idea. He brushed the long tresses out into a silky shine and went downstairs to the very welcomed site of Adrian enjoying a wonderful bowl of soup from the tenant's wife.

"Good Morning, Richter," he beamed, smiling from ear to ear. Richter stopped dead in his tracks. Not only was Adrian awake, but he was actually responsive.

"You feeling okay?" asked Richter a little disturbed.

"I'm great. I took a shower this morning, went for a short stroll through the streets, and am having breakfast. You?"

"Yeah great," answered Richter weakly. Honestly, Richter had never seen Adrian like this in the morning so it was a little frightening, especially after last night. He sat down and Borge came over immediately to ask about breakfast. He just responded in his usual, I'll have whatever he's having, and just watched Adrian eat. He knew it was a bad habit, considering he had never realized how rare he ate his meat till he made the mistake of saying that once in a Steak House, but Adrian tended to have good taste in food aside from that.

He calmly waited for his breakfast and watched as everyone piled out of their rooms for the dining hall. Daniel came up behind them. 

"Hello boys," she announced patting Richter on the shoulder, "have you told Adrian what you will be doing today?"

Adrian looked at them curiously.

"What?" he asked, his taking on a troubled gaze.

"Well last night you were a little out of it, so we decided to take you to the doctors while we all go to the church," she told him cheerfully. She didn't want to scare him or make him nervous, but she had to somehow get him to agree.

"What do you mean?"

"It's all right, it's just you passed out and we wanted to make sure you were all right."

"Do I have to?"

"It would be in your best interest."

She could see the unrest in his eyes, "Richter is going to take you."

"Really?" he sat up a little better.

"Yes."

"O.k."

Richter grimaced as he felt like the parent in the middle of a child's trip to the doctor's for a booster shot.

They finished their meal and Daniel gave instructions to get to the Doctors office. They separated when they reached the fork at the end of the street and headed off. The group to visit an old church, while Richter and Adrian made an adventure of the doctor office. Borge had called in ahead of time for them, but the look on the face of the receptionist was far from humorous, it bordered hysterical.

"I can read the sign and the sign says this is the place," insisted Richter as he dragged, Adrian behind him, "Come on."

"Are you sure? I mean I don't even know why we are here," whined Adrian as he eyed the waiting room. All around the room, people looked up at the baffled Americans. Richter just smiled at them all and did his best to say, "jó reggelt!" in Hungarian and marched Adrian to the front desk. 

Two things made this site something to watch, one was the fact that these were two extremely handsome American men, and two, the site of one dragging the other around like a rag doll. 

"jó reggelt!," said Richter in his practiced tongue, "Do you speak English?"

"Yes," she replied clearly in English. A slight blush went across her face.

"Great, we are here for the 10:00 o'clock appointment for Adrian Dragasani," he informed her.

"Just sign these papers and wait right over there."

He did as he was told and forced Adrian to sit in his chair. 

"O.k. date of birth?" he asked him.

"I don't know," answered Adrian a little shyly. He bowed his head, at the realization, he didn't even know his own birth date.

"You don't know your birth date?" 

"No. Remember I told you I don't know anything about my past."

"How about any past diseases?"

Adrian just shook his head. Richer huffed a large sigh and went back to the window.

"Hello Miss, " he interrupted, tearing her away from her concentrated stare at the computer screen. 

"Yes?"

"We have a problem."

"What is that?"

"O.k. my friend here, the one going in for the appointment, " he leaned in closer to give Adrian his privacy, "He has no idea how to answer the questions to any of these."

She looked puzzled, "what do you mean sir?"

"I mean, he doesn't know his date of birth, if he has or hasn't had his shots, and he doesn't even know the names of his real parents."

"Is this why you are here for the appointment?"

"No, this is sort of an ongoing thing. He was found with amnesia and he hasn't recovered since. All he knows is that his name is Adrian. His adoptive guardians gave him their last name."

The woman eyes glimpsed a site of the man who was now ashamed of the fact that he knew none of what they asked. His head was bowed as he looked at his hands, and his mane of long pearl blond hair fell over his pale face. She nodded and took the papers. She wrote down a few notes.

"Who will be paying for the bill?" she asked, smiling all the while feeling pity for the poor soul in the chair.

"I will. " He immediately got out his wallet and got out his Visa card. She accepted and went about taking care of the necessary arrangements.

Immediately, it was Adrian's turn and they went in. Adrian knew what would happen when he went in. They would ask about everything and as usual leave them baffled. He couldn't explain what was wrong with his skin, he couldn't fathom why his body temperature always stayed at 82 degrees, or why he had such a strange reaction last night. He knew nothing of what Richter described, excluding what Richter didn't want to say, and just sat there like a child in a doctor's office allowing the parent to do all the work. He ended up with an o.k. and with the usual, 'just take it easy and get some rest.' 

"I guess you are o.k. then," commented Richter.

"Yeah," said Adrian quietly. He kept his head bowed and merely played with a few strands of hair that fell in his face. Richter couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor guy. They had never gotten into too many discussions about his past, but from what Adrian had told him, it was something that really bothered him. Adrian just looked out onto the cobble stone road and watched as the locals passed by. One would throw him an interested glance and he would just smile and wave back. Richter was just happy to be in such a friendly place. It was nothing like New Jersey, and that's what made the whole thing unique. 

The visit was short lived, and it was time to head out again. Richter helped Adrian get his things and they headed off for their next destination, Romania. Richter knew it probably wasn't right to say anything, but he couldn't help himself.

"So if we search through a few more cemeteries, you think we might find the rest of your relatives?" joked Richter.

Adrian just stuck his tongue out in a childish manner and took his position leaning against the window. Richter shrugged and decided to walk about the train. He got up and didn't notice Daniel following behind him. He walked into the dining wagon and sat down. She took her position across from him and looked at his worriedly.

"What is it?" he could feel her questions drilling through his head.

"What do you mean, 'if we search a few more cemeteries, do you think we might find the rest of your relatives?'" she asked point blank.

Richter laughed out loud, not noticing the waiter's watchful gaze from afar.

"Oh, that," he managed to get out under his breath, "it's just, this is where they found Adrian."

"Found?" she asked curiously.

"I shouldn't be talking about this?" he suddenly got a bit more serious, " He really doesn't like it when people find out about him."

"Find out about what?"

"I can't tell you."

"Please, I have had to put up with you two for three weeks now, tell me."

"Don't tell him I said this and don't share please, it's just this is where they found Adrian. They found him in an old cemetery near the Transylvanian territories." 

His face became littered with shock and concern.

"Some surveyors were moving the grave sites, when they accidentally opened one. And he was in it. I managed to get the report, which Adrian doesn't know I read, but they thought he might have been an attempted murder victim."

She was speechless. The waiter eyed them and listened along with the bartender. Richter leaned in, to try and keep his words even quieter.

"To top it all off. According the reports, Detective Manning, who was a little suspicious of the whole thing, examined the tomb of which they had found him in. Strangely enough, the room hadn't been touched for almost two hundred years. He doesn't know how they could have gotten him in there and not disturb a speck of dust, but who ever did was good. And rather morbid if you ask me. The clothes were later dated, and they matched the tombs date. That little black jacket he wore, was around 230 years old. It perfectly was preserved, which is why they didn't find him naked, but no one can figure it out. He doesn't even know about this stuff. All he knows is that he was found and woke up in a hospital. The official report stated that someone just tried to bury him alive, but it makes for a great ghost story doesn't it?"

She couldn't speak. She didn't want to. Her eyes finally caught a glimpse of the waiter who was bringing their drinks and her eyes traveled to Richter's wearily.

"What's wrong?" he asked curiously, "You're acting as if you saw a ghost."

"Why didn't you say any of this before?"

"Would it have mattered?"

"Well, yes and no."

"Why is that?"

"It's just this is a very superstitious part of the country and.." 

"….and what? This isn't the 1800's you know. "

"I know, but you aren't understanding me here. This country had just gotten out of communist rule and…  
  
"And?"

"…and I do admit that this country is expanding at a remarkable level, but there are always a few. I mean, even today, I still hear stories from the Native American's of America tell their tales of the mysterious big foot or the evil spirits of the earth. It's the same here, as it is everywhere, every place has their superstitions."

"Great now you're starting to sound like my Grandpa."

"Your grandpa?"

The waiter set down their drinks and moved about the cabin getting a few more drinks, but Daniel could tell he still had his ear to them.

"It was my Grandpa's idea for me to go to Romania. Ever since I was a kid he liked to tell me stories about a mysterious castle that appears every hundred years. It's supposed to be the true Castle of Dracula….or something like that. I don't know…it was fun when I was little, but when he kept pressing the matter I started to think he was senile, " he laughed in thought to himself, "In fact before I left he threw a whip in my bag. Don't know what I'm supposed to use it for, unless he was hoping I would get lucky or something."

"A castle? I think I've heard of it. No one has been able to confirm it because it disappears as soon as it appears."

"Yeah I can never remember what it was called, but I guess my family used to live in these parts or something, because my Grandpa seemed pretty sure of himself. Now what was it called…..Castlecreg? Trans…no that wasn't it?"

"It was called Castlevania," interrupted the waiter as he slammed down Richter's salad. Richter jumped up from his seat and looked at him.

"Yeah that was it?" he assured. The waiter just glowered at him and walked away.

"See what I mean?" told Daniel, " This country maybe bordering the rest of the world, but they still have their folklore."

Richter just cocked an eye and shrugged. He just picked at his salad and watched the scenery from the window. It was spring in Romania and a lush blanket of green covered the entire land. A few native cows grazed in the thick pastures and as they passed through the thick forests a few deer peered back into the cabin. 

He was so engrossed in the scenery he didn't even notice when it had seemed that the world was turning black. Outside the window he could see a pack of wolves chasing the cabin, and he sat up to get a better look. His mind raced, his heart jumped, and when his eyes narrowed onto the feet of the running group, he jumped as he realized they weren't touching the ground. He leaped from his chair and backed to the other end of the cabin. He stared out the windows and noticed they were everywhere. He counted 20 wolves on each side of the train and his mind reeled when one came up to his window. He stood stock still as it's narrow head turned to gaze at him, and when their eyes met, Richter saw red. They weren't the round yellow, he saw in most wolves, this wolf's eyes were red; deep and thick. 

"Richter?" he could faintly hear, "RICH!?"

His head snapped back into place and he looked out to see a calm sunny pasture again. He looked around confused. One minute it was day, and the next minute, it was night. He couldn't explain it. The other passengers were all looking at him strange and sweat dripped from his forehead. 

"What did I see?" he asked himself in his head. He looked out the window, thinking he would see them, but there weren't there. Their lines of their bodies didn't gleam in the moonlight and the flashes of their eyes didn't stare back in some fearful demand. All he saw was the rich pasture and everyone staring at him.

"Rich?" asked Daniel trying to get his attention, "Are you okay?"

"You didn't see that?" he asked her.

"See what?"

"The…" he stopped in mid sentence, "nevermind."

He looked around and the waiter eyed him with a glare that could bring down rhino. He just patted Daniel's shoulder.

"I'm fine, " he assured her, even though he knew something was wrong. He didn't daydream that often, and when he did it was never that real, "I'm just tired."

He put down the money for the food, with a more than gracious tip, and headed back to his seat. Adrian was off in dreamland now, although Richter was dismayed when he noticed, Adrian had discovered you could remove the middle armrests. He had sprawled out over the two seats and was snuggled up to the back cushions comfortably. Richter had to stifle the urge to hit him upside the head for taking his seat, but Adrian had been acting sort of funny, and he figured he needed the rest. Beside, he wasn't lying when he said he was cute when he slept. He just took a hold of the railing that lined the top of the train and stood there thinking. 

He couldn't explain what had happened nor could he ignore the entire episode. It had been so real, and so familiar at the same time. For some reason he felt as though he had been in a situation much like that, but it wasn't a train. He closed his eyes, to try and think back, and soon he could feel the rough bounces of the ground underneath him. He saw two runaway horses peeling down an old dirt road, and as he opened his eyes to look around, he was standing on top of a black stagecoach. 

Wolves surrounded him and a swarm of bats threatened to get closer. He looked at his hand to see the long whip his grandpa had packed and instead of his leather jacket, he sported a long blue coat. A sword hung at his side and his was torn to ribbons as he tried to distinguish, what was real and what was not. 

Finally, the train whistle blew and he woke up to find himself still standing up in the aisle. Adrian had shifted to lie on his back and his legs were drawn up on the seat. His hair was still loose and puddled onto the floor in a rather cute collection of mini waterfalls. Rich bent down to brush a few strands from his face and wondered slightly, 'when did I ever tell him I was straight?' He smiled at the look Adrian might give him when he told him he was bi. 

Of course he kept such knowledge relatively secret, especially from his family, but he couldn't deny it. He found both sexes equally appealing. It was just finding one he could get along with for long periods of time that was the tricky part. He entertained the thought of Adrian accepting him that way, but he could never forget the conversation they had once while on route through Japan. 

"How can two people do something like that?" he had asked curiously.

"Do what?" asked Richter trying to look over his shoulder at what sparked such a comment. Apparently, someone had left their manga in the train and Adrian was the lucky one to find it. Rich had thought it was just some magazine or comic book, but when Adrian's face went to pure puzzlement and he had to turn the entire book upside down to finally understand it, he had to look. 

"That?" 

Richter busted out laughing at the particular manga he had happened to find. It was an extremely graphic yaoi manga, by the page he could see. 

"What in the world did you find?" he asked him trying to get a better look at the rest of it.

"I found it under my seat," answered Adrien, "But honestly can a person really do that?"

Richter looked at it, imagining all the times he had been in that position and wishing he could try it on someone extremely close.

"Yes."

"How do you know?" 

"Because I know some people."

"Ack….I don't know about you, but I think that would be rather uncomfortable."

"Ahh so you wouldn't want to try it yourself?"

"NO!"

Richter was a little disappointed, but ended up laughing his head off at the site of Adrian's eyes some how managing to get wider than his face. None the less, Adrian continued to peruse through the entire manga, every once in awhile, turning the book in awkward positions to try and make since of the current position. Rich just smiled and would look over every once in awhile and would look back at the book to see what was more a less, just one huge book of kink. He had no idea what was going on in the book, but it was interesting to watch Adrian attempt to make heads or tales of the entire thing.

"Are you sure this doesn't just say Kamasutra in Japanese?" he finally asked after about half an hour.

"I don't think so, " answered Rich. He smiled to a young girl who was watching them and giggled when she saw the book he was reading. To this day, Rich has no idea what the book was called, but it was apparent on the young lady's face, that she knew. He could just imagine, what she must have been thinking about them, considering they were traveling together and Adrian was flipping through a gay comic. 

By the end of the day, Rich new Adrian, really wasn't one for experimentation and spent most of the time, clearly stating that something like that would seem way too uncomfortable. Rich wanted to point out some things, but Adrian was set in his observations. He just watched his friend sleep, when he noticed Adrian's breathing was off. His brows crinkled in annoyance and his hand flicked where it was.

"He must be having a dream," Richter told himself, but it couldn't have been a very good one. Adrian's face was twisted in sadness and his breathing gave way to various moments of shock. 

In his sleep, his mind became trapped in its own hidden agenda. He woke up to a room, he didn't recognize. Long billowing black curtains hung form the ceiling around his bed and his nightclothes consisted of a cotton lace trimmed gown. His pillows were huge and fluffed with authentic goose feathers and his eyes looked around to see the black stones of a room. 

A huge fireplace was visible from the foot of his bed and a mural of a man and a woman he didn't know hung imposingly above it. Opulent candelabrums followed the walls every ten feet , and huge draperies covered the path to a balcony he knew was there. He sat up in his bed and noticed his clothes already neatly laid out for him in the chair. He stepped out and looked beyond the heavy curtains to reveal the gothic grandeur of some medieval castle. A place that sunk his heart, but he couldn't leave. Huge tapestries decorated the plain black walls, and an intricately woven Persian rug warmed the floor from the freezing stone. Gorgeous roman styled busts, sat around the room, but there was one centered on a huge dark oak table that caught his eye. He walked to it and was overwhelmed by some type of sadness, he couldn't understand. 

He touched the smooth curves of the lines and wished for it to smile back. He longed to see that face for real, and noticed that the bust was the same as the woman in the picture. A tear fell from his eye and he remembered her words, "Love them, for they know not what they do." Like the hum of crystal, her voice rang in his ear and he couldn't suppress the need to cry. He had to cry for her. He didn't know why, but the mere site of her picture and the smooth texture of the stone bust wouldn't allow him to do otherwise.

Richter noticed a tear hit the cabin floor and he brushed the strands of hair to see his face racked in pain. Tears lined his cheeks and his knuckles clutched his jacket tightly around him.

"Adrian?" said Richter quietly to him. Adrian's eyes opened, and he looked up at Richter with the same pained expression, till he realized where he was. He held his jacket to himself and sat up, "Adrian what's wrong? Have a bad dream?"

Adrian just watched as Richter sat beside him. 

"It's nothing, " answered Adrian. He held his jacket tighter around him and leaned on Richter's shoulder. 

For a second, Richter didn't know what to do. Adrian had never done that before, but he did the only natural thing and brought his arm around him. Something was definitely wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. They moved deeper into the lands of Romania. They passed through the Transylvanian Alps and stopped in Galati. 

By then, both Rich and Adrian needed to take a walk. It seemed the deeper into Romania they got the worse the problems got, and Adrian wasn't feeling well. The group was given three hours to explore, and they took that time to sit down and just have a drink. Adrian at first didn't say or do anything till they sat down and he listened in on two guys talking across the room. They seemed to far to hear, but Adrian gripped his glass when he realized he could hear them all too well. Each syllable was as clear as if he was sitting at the table itself and he stared at Richter.

"I know what they're saying," was all he replied. 

At first, Richter didn't know what he meant until he watched Adrian look towards the two men. They were across the room whispering so quietly, Richter could barely make it out, but when he finally got the jest his mind raced, they were speaking Romanian. Adrian in all the time he had known him, didn't know a word of Romanian. The only language he could speak was English, and as Adrian listened in, he knew the man was talking about his wife and how his son had dumped mud all over the clean linens. Both Adrian and Richter, went silent. They quietly ate their lunch, while Adrian realized more and more that he knew exactly what they were saying as fluently as he spoke to Richter. The more he listened the more he remembered speaking it, and when the waitress came back to deliver the check, he graciously spoke, " The meal was delicious, thank you, " in the native tongue.

Not a word was spoken when they went back to the train. They didn't even say their usual greetings to Daniel. She was becoming worried every moment she saw them. They were preoccupied now, and it hurt not being able to help them. They headed towards Bucaresti.

No one anticipated any danger. The waiter in the cabin listened quietly from his own cabin and watched the land pass by. He didn't like the events that were taking place, most of all he didn't like the pale faced one. He feared Adrian for a reason he couldn't fathom, and the man that had talked about him, didn't help with his explanation of where they had found Adrian. 

To their room they didn't speak. Adrian and Richter took their key and didn't even fight when they came to the room. They didn't fight over who got which bed, and didn't bother to say any words of night tidings when their heads hit the pillow. Adrian rather didn't say a word about what was going on, and least of all he didn't want to talk about it. The further they went into the country, the more disturbing his dreams got. He used to sleep so soundly, but the more he dreamed, the more his thoughts progressed to a tragic night, when he watched the face of the woman be burned to death before his eyes. He saw her flesh crisp in the ashes and the stench filled his nostrils. He wanted to help her, but he couldn't. When he tried to get near the village where her corpse was being viewed for everyone to see, rot in the flames, he was chased out. It was either stay and face the same fate of the woman or be chased back into the black castle of this dreams. He had so many dreams of waking up in that place, and observed the normal actions of each night when he would arise from his slumber. 

It seemed natural to wake during the night in those hallways, for the corridors were strangely quiet in the wake of the sun's light. He was always wearing some strange garb he didn't recognize and soon his dreams began to include strange objects that would follow him around, one a sword, a fairy, a demon, and a bat. He didn't know where they had come from, but in his dream they were his only friends. They talked to him constantly, as they were his only company, and tried their best to bring a smile to their young master's face. He knew he was trapped in this place where he lived. 

Later, his dreams became more vivid and told him that he lived in the castle of his father, but he didn't know who. His mind scampered to find an explanation, but he knew none, then one day, he saw Richter. Adrian had returned to the castle, and there smelled the scent of something he knew well, but he couldn't remember. He was full of hate when he returned, but he had to for the sake of a friend, for Richter.

He woke up on the second day staring down into Richter's blissful rest. He didn't stir from his spot and didn't dare move any closer, but he wanted to know why he had seen Richter in his dream. He thought he had never met Richter before this time, but he was there in his dreams. 'Maybe it was all a figment of my imagination?' he told himself, but he knew that to be a lie. He got out of the bed and edged over to Richter's things. He had to look. 

In his dream, he met a man that was Richter, but at the same time wasn't Richter, yet he had to check for something. The Richter in his dream had something and he just had to look. He quietly clicked the lock and grazed his fingers over the zipper. He had never seen what he kept in his bag anyway, and he had to admit, curiosity was one of his main defaults at times. 

Finally, he was rewarded with the site of his garments. He rummaged through the large duffel shifting quietly till his hand grazed something large. He pulled out to find a box. It was small, and he was fairly certain it wouldn't hold what he was looking for, but he had fun non-the-less opening it. 

The box contained a various assortment of shampoos, conditioners, mini soaps, and Adrian almost yipped when he found a small tube of lubricant and condoms. 

"He really comes prepared doesn't he?" he thought to himself. He looked at it and wondered, " now why in the world would he need the lube?"

He just shrugged his shoulders and continued searching, till his hands felt the thick knots of leather. He felt his pulse quicken the nearer to the surface he brought it, and when he fully revealed what he had been looking for his heart stopped. In his dreams, Richter had had a whip and tried to kill him with it, and now as he stood there with the whip in full view, it was exactly the same as in his dream.

Richter was awoken by a strange awareness in his mind, and when he looked at the foot of his bed, he saw Adrian standing there with his Grandfather's whip in his hand. Tears were beginning to topple over his lower eyelid and his lip quivered in its place. He was surprised to see Adrian so sneaky, but he was worried the moment he saw his gaze.

"What's wrong?" he asked hurriedly. He sat up and shifted to the edge of the bed. 

"Why do you have this?" he asked him. He seemed as if his entire world was going to fall apart.

"That?" now Richter was extremely dumbfounded, "My grandfather put it in my bag before I left. I don't know why he put it there, he just did. Why are you asking? What's wrong?"

Adrian just moved away from him. 

"Why do you have this?" he asked again. He clutched it tightly and back his way into the wall. 

"I told you. What's wrong?"

Adrien wanted an answer. He wanted to know why Richter was in his dream, and why Richter tried to kill him in his dream. He had tried to cut of his head with this exact whip and he was frightened. He was confused to say the least, nothing seemed real anymore, and his dreams were plagued with the same dreams over and over. He didn't dream of the warm coasts of California anymore, he dreamed of blood and dark castles. He dreamed of strange creatures following him in the night, and somehow he knew how to fly. He didn't know how he had done it, but he could fly.

Richter ran to his side, and Adrian dashed from him to try and get away, but Richter caught him in his grasp and tackled him to the ground.

"You tried to kill me!" he screamed. 

"What?!" Richter was utterly concerned. Now Adrian was saying nonesense.

"IN MY DREAM YOU TRIED TO KILL ME WITH THIS WHIP!!!" 

Daniel could hear that all the downstairs where she was. She didn't take anymore than two seconds to dash up the flight of stairs to the room to find Richter holding Adrian in a bear hug.

"I don't know what's wrong with him," he warned her, "he woke up rummaging through my things and he found that and went berserk."

She got the hint immediately. She had noticed Adrian's eyes become more and more distant the longer he stuck around and she had a feeling something like this would happen. She ran to her room to grab some bungy cords she used for her suitcase and ran in to try and get a hold of Adrian. One of the other men on the tour was already there holding Adrian's legs down, and she immediately went to work to try and bind him.

"You tried to kill me," Adrian whined, "I wanted to help, but you were going to kill me." 

He was lost in his own confused world. He didn't understand fully what had happened in his dream, but it was somehow heart wrenching to think that his only friend in his meager existence wanted him dead. He couldn't help himself. 

"Adrian," hollered Richter as nicely as he could manage in his ear, "I'm not going to kill you. You listen to me, I'm not going to kill you."

He repeated himself over and over again till Adrian finally calmed down and lay quietly on the floor. He stopped and looked at the whip in his hands and the fact that he was now a knot himself of bungy cords. He turned his head and glanced at Richter, then to each person in the room. 

"I'm sorry, " he said quietly, "I guess I got a little carried away." 

The others didn't say a word. Richter picked Adrian up off the floor and set him in bed. Adrian had his feet tied together and his arms tied to his chest, unfortunately with the whip. 

"Are you okay now?" asked Richter a little harshly. He couldn't believe that Adrian would ever think such a thing. It was hard on him to realize his own best friend thought that he would actually want to kill him. After getting his things he marched out of the room to go get dressed. It was hard to be in the same room with him.

"I'm sorry," called out Adrian. He knew it was wrong, but his dream had been so real.

Daniel asked the other man to go out and thanked him. She sat beside Adrian and stroked his hair. 

"Please, " she asked carefully, "tell me what happened. What has been going on?"

"Ever since we started into this region, I started having these dreams, and the closer we get, the more vivid they become, " he answered. He hesitates slightly in telling her, but it was eating him alive not to tell anyone

"What kind of dreams?"

"Just these strange dreams about a castle."

She wanted to tell Adrian to stop talking. She wanted to tell him to be quiet and forget about them, but she couldn't. He needed help. 

"What about the castle?"

"Its different than any I had ever seen. It doesn't seem to have a place in time and the stones are black. These strange creatures follow me around, and I ….."

"You what?"

"I'm just confused."

He continued to tell her about his dreams and how they never went away. Every night he would fall asleep against the plush pillows, to wake up in another night of that dream. It was like he wasn't even sleeping anymore. He told her about the strange creatures that would wake him up and finally he told her where he had thought Richter was going to try and kill him. He told her that in his dream, Richter had been in the castle and he had to help him. He didn't know why, but Richter was in trouble. When he got there, he had attempted to kill him with the whip, but the whip wasn't the same in the dream, as recalled it. The whip had something about it that made it different from the rest.

She listened with the expression of a mother, but with the heart of a rabbit. This was not going the way she had planned. They were about to take the next tour into the Famous Transylvanian Territories where the infamous Dracula had reigned. She had always waited to say anything about that area, so that people would anticipate their arrival and she could better explain the truth hidden behind the legend, but she thought it might be a good idea to warn Adrian now.

"Well, or next tour will take you in that place, " she smiled to try and make things seems calmer, as if she was just informing of the events for today. "You know he wasn't what everyone made him out to be."

He listened quietly as she spoke and when she thought that he had been tied down long enough, she began undoing the lines so he could get dressed himself. He didn't know why he listened so intently, but though her words were comforting, they were right. He could feel it in the earth below him and in the air around him. Something wasn't right.

Richter returned, freshly cleaned and went down stairs soon after.

"I'm sorry Rich," apologized Adrian. He really didn't want to hurt Richter.

"Fine, apology accepted, " he shot back.

"Please, I'm sorry. I just had a bad dream."

"Bad dream huh? Some dream if you think I'll kill you."

"It's not that. I was just confused. I've been confused ever since we got to this country. A month ago I could only speak English, and now I find that I know Romanian. I don't know what happened in my past, but now all of a sudden, I'm having dreams so real, I could almost say it was my past."

Richter stopped, the tour was following the path to the ruins of the old castle, but he couldn't blame Adrian. He had been having dreams and visions where ever he went. They were never more than a few specks of thought in the wind, but he would get images of a castle or see wolves that weren't there. 

"It's all right, " he finally gave in, " I don't blame you."

Adrian smiled and gave him a hug, "thank you."

They ran up to join the others and listened to the new tour guide speak about the history of the area, but as if the a lightning bolt shot through the air and hit both of them at the same time, they saw it. The ground grumbled below their feet and the sky went black. Screams could be heard from the other travelers, but Adrian and Richter did not move. They watched in awe as they saw the sky fill with in seconds with thick black clouds. 

The other tour guide was no where to be seen and the rest of the group escaped, never looking back, but Daniel walked up to the boys and watched, as the earth seemed to lift from the ground and come together before her eyes. Slowly but surely she saw the formation of a castle collect in the dust and a harsh wind bellowed with the screams of a thousand souls in her ears. Lightning crashed into the bowels of the castle, and flames flickered on to reveal a presence with in. Somewhere off in the distance, she could hear the howls of the wolves calling out to some unseen presence and a thick mist covered the ground in a white. 

Adrian began stepping back as he watched the mist. He immediately responded in fear. 

"Guys, get back!" he warned. His eyes were glued to it, and he could see figures form in the mist.

Richter looked down to see the same and soon headed for a tall rock. 

"What's going on?" asked Daniel wonderingly, then something gripped her leg.

Adrian looked up to see the sky darken and exchanged glances with Richter. They didn't even see her go down, but with a yelp….she was lost to the mist.

"DANIEL!!!" screamed Richter. He went to jump in, but Adrian grabbed him. 

"She's already gone," Adrian said sadly. He closed his eyes and held onto Richter to make sure he didn't move. Somehow, he knew there was no hope for her. The mist was alive, and she was gone. The castle grew in detail and with in the hour, an immense black castle stood in place of the crumbling remains. Adrian's eyes watered at the irony of what he was staring at. He gripped Richter's shoulder tighter and nothing could peel his gaze from it. It was the castle from his dream, and in his mind he heard the deep voice of a man say, "You're home."

Chapter 3

They stood their grounds on the rock.

"What do we do?" asked Richter. 

"I don't know" replied Adrian. 

Adrian swallowed hard and tested his had against the mist. He felt the cool brush of fingers and he shot up.

"I don't know what's in there, but don't get off this rock," ordered Adrian. 

Richter wasn't about to try. He had glanced out into the woods and an unfortunate dear that had and saw the remains of a bloodless corpse left in its wake.

Then, Adrian's constant shuffling stopped. Richter faced him, to see him with that dead expression once again.

"Oh no, don't do this to me again," he said grabbing a hold of him, but Adrian didn't stir. He just stared off at the castle as his body slowly became limp.

"Wake up!" screamed Richter trying to shake him out of it. He just watched as Adrian's head fell back and his eyes closed.

"Ri..cht…er," he managed to get out then completely passed out.

"Shit!" screamed Richter. He wrapped his arms around Adrian and attempted to hold him up, but he kept slipping into the mist, " oh don't you dare!"

He pulled Adrian up, but as he looked over the body, the mist had crawled up the rock and was holding onto his leg. It was pulling him down and Richter wasn't about to let him go. He gripped his arms around him and pulled him up, but the mist came closer. It reached Adrian's knees and Richter could distinctly see the white clear forms of hands wrapping around him tightly.

"STOP!!! WHY DO YOU WANT HIM?!" he screamed at the mist at the top of his lungs. He was determined to hold on to him He wasn't going to let him go, but the mist was becoming stronger, "Please Adrian wake up?"

He was near begging.

"Let him go," he heard behind him. He turned abruptly to see a woman standing amongst the mist. She wore a long white dress with wide open sleeves. Her hair hung long and silky to the ground in an ebony river and her skin was as white and soft as the clouds in the sky. 

"Who are you?" he ordered to know.

"Someone to collect what was lost," she answered her voice as silvery as water.

"What?"

"My Master desires his son in his presence. I am here to collect him."

"WHOSE SON!? WHERE!?"

"The one you are holding in your arms is the son of my master Dracula."

"Your M…Master?" he stuttered. His eyes went shut. He held onto Adrian, not daring to release him, but as he reminded himself of the castle that stood before him, chills ran down his spine.

"Please, return him. He ran away from us so many years ago and my Master misses him. He is all he has left of his lost love, " she continued.

All of a sudden the reports began to make sense. Bit by bit he began piecing together the terrorizing truth and gripped onto him harshly.

"You can't have him," he stated. 

"Now, now, you can not lie to me. I know what your heart seeks, and it is the young Master, but you must understand my Lord Dracula would never consent to a Belmont," she laughed haughtily.

He eyebrows narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"You are our enemy, what I thing to think in such a handsome young man. You think you can love the young master." Her giggle echoed through out the forest, "now return him."

He wouldn't. He held tighter and brought Adrian closer, but he wasn't surprised when he felt the mist pull tighter. He could feel hands around his neck and body pulling him apart, and his body gave way, letting go.

Time moved too fast as he saw Adrian's body get dragged into the mist. He tried to get a hold of himself, but what ever surrounded him took him completely and enveloped his body. He felt hands pull him away and direct him into the mist below. He struggled to see Adrian, but he was no where in site. 

"Noooo!" was all he could manage when he felt needles prick through his body. Hundreds of tiny bites pricked at his exposed skin and he fought ravenously to get away. Blood poured down his arms and across his face and he was lost in his own fears. He couldn't move, then the loud rack of a whip froze the entities that held him. 

"You!?" screamed the woman. With in moments she vaporized into the mist and disappeared. Richter felt a few more entities go into shock and finally let go of him allowing him a chance to get up. He jumped up from the ground and looked to see who was there, to find his Grandfather standing with the whip ready in his hands.

"I told you to take this where ever you went," he remarked seriously. His face was in complete control and order. He made it clear that he was disappointed in his grandson. Richter just stared. What could he do? He didn't believe in all those things his Grandpa had told him, and now he was seriously paying the price, "You could have been killed."

Richter didn't answer. He walked up to his Grandpa and stood there. 

"I told you it was real didn't I?" he added.

"Yes," replied Richter obediently. He didn't want to say anything right now. He was too worried about Adrian, too shocked about the appearance of the castle, and lost in his own thoughts about how much he feared for Adrian. 'Was what the woman said true?' he asked himself.

His Grandpa could see his concern, " You never realized it did you?"

"What?" 

"I saw the reports you had smuggled. After all that I had told you, all that I had taught you, and trained you for, you never put two and two together?"

"What GRANDPA?"

His grandfather pulled out a book and flipped open a page to an image of a portrait. Richter took it and looked at it. He had forgotten all about this book. Captured in the pages of the old book, was the face of Alucard. It was a copy of a painting they had kept down in the vault, but it was something he should have remembered. His fingers outlined the image of a pale faced man with long blond white hair, and a somber expression; it was Adrian.

"How?" he asked. He recalled remembering that this particular painting was 300 years old.

"He is the son of Dracula and the miraculous spawn between woman and vampire. Which is why he can move by day and still eat."

"But?"

"Come on, let's get back to the village, I'll tell you on the way."

They turned their backs on the castle and his Grandpa made clear all that Richter had been ignoring.

"The fun doesn't end there," he began as they sat down at the table, " there must be a reason you were born again."

"Again?"

"I never told your father this or your mother, but I named you Richter for a very important reason," he waited for his words to sink in, " You are the reincarnated soul of one of our most powerful allies against Castlevania, Richter Belmont I. You are actually Richter Belmont II."

Richter sat back. Chills zipped up his back, as something in his head, told him this was making since. The blue coat, the whip, the wolves, soon it was all becoming clear at rate Richter was struggling to keep up with.

"I don't know why your soul was reincarnated, but the day you told me you had met a man named Adrian and showed me that picture of him, I figured as much."

"Why?" inquired Richter, who was getting the hint that his grandfather was hiding something.

"Back in the day, there were rumors of our ancestor Richter. Some said that he wasn't the puritan people believed him to be. They said he was attracted to both sexes, but no one questioned him because he was a Belmont, and the most powerful of the family. "

"What are you saying Grandpa?"

"I know you have been sleeping around with more than just your girlfriends. You picked up the same habits as him and even look like him." He flipped through the book to a portrait of Richter Belmont the I. Richter's eyes widened in astonishment when he looked into the portrait of his own face.

"This is…this is me!"

"Well, not really, it's a past you. But the point is, there was a another rumor about Richter that he kept very very secret. He went out one night and didn't return for two days. No one knows where he went, but when he returned he never played around again. Some say he had fallen in love. "

"With who?"

There was a dead silence as they stared at each other.

"Do you love Adrien?" was his next question, and all that needed to be said. Rich knew then what had happened to Richter. Richter had fallen in love with the dhampire and Rich himself knew, that he had fallen in love with Adrian. His grandpa closed the book and nodded slightly. "There was a reason for your reincarnation and I think this is it? I have felt it ever since I heard of your birth, that something was going to happen, but I didn't know until now exactly what it was. You must go into the castle."

Richter's eyes bugged from their sockets and looked at him. "YOU MEAN IN THAT HUGE THING THAT JUST APPEARED?"

"Yes."

"I don't know what you have been smoking, but if you hadn't noticed that damned thing isn't normal."

"Yes I know. It is the castle of the dark lord himself, Dracula."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I'm still confused."

"Confused about what?"

" The way that woman was talking and after what you have shown me, I just need someone to tell me, is Adrian really….well is he…is he what they are all saying he is?"

"He is the Son Alucard"

Richter sat back in his chair. His hypothesis had been confirmed. Adrian was exactly what they said he was, he was a dhampire. His grandfather had mentioned them before, but he had thought them stories. Yet as he remembered all the times he had had the chance at a fleeting brush of fingers or the chance to braid his hair for him when he was too tired to do it himself, he remembered how everything about him was so surreal. He never had the chance to truly examine the intricate details of his textures, but from what he had felt, he never did feel human and it explained so much about the doctor's office. Everything from the reports to the way he had noticed his hair wave in the wind, came together in one infallible conclusion, the legends were real.

Richter just looked at his grandfather and rose from his seat. This was too much. One minute, he had everything figured out, and now, he knew nothing. He couldn't even figure out his own name anymore. Was he the 1st or the 2nd? He went to his room and didn't even bother to remove his shoes. He just plopped down on the bed and stared at the empty mattress beside him. Adrian's clothes were still neatly set aside and his hair tie lay astray on the sheets. Richter recalled that morning, when he had watched Adrian pull his hair from that tie and clenched his sheets when he couldn't see Adrian sitting in its place. He needed rest. He hungered for some escape from all that had been dealt him. 

It was easier than he thought it would be for him to find rest, but he did. His eyes dazed into that dreamy place, where he saw Adrian's face once again. 

Richter dashed through miles of trees to meet Alucard and found him in a small cottage waiting for him at the door. Lush greenery deepened in the moonlight where he stood, but his face was as bright as the sun standing amongst the darkness. He wasn't wearing his usual layers of black clothing and his hair was loose over his shoulders. He was merely garbed in his black knickers, his richly tailored shirt, and a smile. 

Alucard inched to the door in anticipation, as he waited for Richter to arrive. He only got to see him twice during the week, but he was appreciative of seeing him at all. He didn't know why, but with all his heart he loved him. Alucard loved him from the way he always wore his smirk to the stars that reflected in his eyes. He greeted him on those nights with open arms and they would eventually fall asleep resting in each other's arms, but even in the safety of their home there was the inevitable fear of Richter's death. Richter was human, and as much as Alucard was desperate to use his powers, Richter would never allow it. There was only one time in the whole of Alucard's existence that he was grateful to his father for making him the way he was, but even holding the power of immortality wouldn't save his Richter. Each time Richter went through that door, he was able to hold him close, and kiss his lips, but at the same time he prayed that for once Richter would allow him this one gift. Yet, it was the one gift Richter couldn't except. 

As a member to the Belmont clan, he had a duty to uphold his family's name. He had to remember what generations of his bloodline before him had died for, and to give into Alucard's wish, would dishonor them all. He hated every moment he had to look into those tear filled eyes and say no to him, but he could never look away. He knew as well as Alucard, that none of it would last. He would assure him with a kiss and brush his hair from his face, but he could do no more to comfort him. He would have given his own life to him, but he couldn't give up his family's honor. 

Every week Richter would secretly come to their cottage in the woods, Richter from the eyes of the villagers, and Alucard from the eyes of his father, and each time another year would seem to pass. Alucard did all he could to prolong his life, he mixed his blood into Richter's drinks, to keep him healthy, and used his powers to heal the wounds of age, but he could not save him from death. He prayed to Richter, shamefully, to allow him to bring him over, but in the end, he realized that he would only be condemning him to the same hell he lived in day after day. He watched slowly as Richter's internal youth left him. Each year marked another minute that Richter would be late, and another day for Alucard's heart to quicken when he didn't arrive in time. 

Until finally, one day, Richter didn't come, and Alucard knew his time had ended. In his dreams, Richter saw Alucard's expression fall from joy to grief, when he saw the dawn, and no Richter to watch it with him. When, the next night fell and Richter still hadn't come, he watched as Alucard's expression worsened in pure anguish when he realized all those nights of having someone to finally love him ended. When the realization echoed in his ears, that he was once again alone, separated from the world around him, and there was nothing but the darkness to welcome his presence, he couldn't find the strength to stand anymore. He fell to his knees and tried to grip the ground beneath him. He cried into the wood flooring and clawed the grain for something to hold him together, but he couldn't. No one was there to help him, like the day he watched his mother burn, there wasn't a soul to speak a solemn word. Richter dreamed of a past he never saw, but now watched in painful detail his love fall to pieces in a cottage they once called their own.

Richter bolted from his bed. His heart ached and his eyes were sore. Even in his sleep he had soaked the pillow of his bed and he could feel the dampness in his own hair. Outside the window, he now saw the distant shadow of Castlevania, and from a force compelled by blood and enraged with loss, he had to go to the castle.

Meanwhile, Adrian awoke to a nightmare he thought was a dream. His eyes fluttered open to a bow of black curtains above him and the fall of transparent netting around his bed. His mind didn't register at first where he was till his gaze crossed a fireplace, decorated by a massive portrait of an imposing man and his love. 

"No," whispered Adrian to himself. He rose slowly, hoping he would wake up before he stepped out of bed, but this time, there was nothing stopping his body from feeling the true sting of cold against his flesh. Over to his left there was a bust of a woman and to his right hung an enormous mirror, supported by demon statues. He peered into the reflection that looked back and it was no longer him. He had on a long nightgown and his hair was brushed out to fall around him like a natural cape of white gold. He ran to the door to try and pry it open, but it didn't budge. The lock rattled, but offered no escape. He scampered about to find his cloths, but only found drawers and drawers of clothes he didn't know, but somehow recognized. Fear shot through him as memories collided with dreams, and he ran to the balcony in hopes that he could climb down. The crystal doors, swung open to the night air, and he ran to the edge, to find his room with out a hope to guide him. It was a length of ten stories to the earth below, and the black stones of the walls were finely scraped smooth. He tried his best to get a grasp of something, but there was no room for his foot nor his fingers to grip. 

"Where am I?" he begged to the air. He wrapped his arms around him and went in to sit on the side of the bed. A banner of the dragon hung over the balcony doors and again over the entrance door, and the tiny candle's lit themselves one by one as they became aware of their master's waking presence. He jumped to the middle of the bed, frightened of their reactions, and prayed for the dream to end. He pinched his arm repeatedly in hopes of finding the right bite to take him back, but it wasn't a dream. It was real. 

From his bed he heard the sounds of creatures breathing heavily outside his door. He could hear the moans of some forgotten souls, and the screams of a woman deep in the castle. He thought it sounded like Daniel, but it ended the second it started. He took a piece of his hair and bit nervously. Adrian swallowed hard, and rocked in his bed. He closed his eyes, and felt the rush of memories invade his conscience mind. He knew where the corridors outside lead, and after some time, remembered exactly what those breaths outside were. 

Fear inched into every corner of his body, until finally he had the notion of some power he couldn't quite remember. He thought hard, knowing it to be at the tip of his tongue, till the slam of the balcony doors broke him from his concentration and the click of the locks deepened his terror.

"Help me?" he pleaded to himself weakly, " I'm scared."

"Is something the matter master?" came the tiny high-pitched question behind him. Adrian whirled around to face the tiny body of a woman. He threw himself backwords to get away, but his head smacked hard into some plush feeling. He turned to face it, to see the small ugly questioning gaze from a flying black beast. He sat up trying to find an escape, but from all corners something stopped him, he attempted the direction to his right to see a talking sword and to his left was the remains of a decapitated head. He resigned himself to the middle of the bed and threw the covers over him to get away. It was a childish way of doing thing, but the only method he could think of to get away. His breathing quickened to a pace he didn't know he could achieve and his heart was a hum in his chest.

"Please, don't kill me?" he spoke underneath the covers. The creatures all looked at each other in confusion as they heard those words echo from their master's lips. 

"Why would we want to kill you?" asked the ugly creature at the foot of his bed.

He poked out to look at. It's features were horrid and it's head was adorned with spiraling horns. It carried a small pith fork in one had, and it's thin tail whisked back and forth in the air.

"Something tells me our Master is not as he used to be?" observed the Fairy. 

"I do believe you are right," agreed the Ghost without moving his jaw.

"Please Master," sounded a voice from the sword, "we are not hear to hurt you, we wanted to comfort you, before your father came."

"My…my..father?" Adrian's voice was dripping with terror, but interest caught his eye.

"Yes, your father wants to see you. Especially, after you left and didn't return," informed the Demon creature, "He was not pleased when you took shelter in the grave and he is still mad at you for helping the Belmont and destroying him two hundred years ago."

"What?" asked Adrian baffled, "I don't know what you are talking about?"

All four of the flying things, exchanged shocked glances.

"You don't remember putting your father to sleep?" asked the Fairy.

"No, I don't know what you are talking about. I live in California."

"Cal..cal….if…forni.a…California?" repeated the sword.

"I don't remember this place."

He felt a quick kick in the back of his head.

"What do you mean you don't remember this place?" hollered the Fairy angrily, "You were born here!"

"I was?"

"Yes, when you were growing up you used to constantly break the vases in the hallways, and always left the library in shambles on the floor," reminded the Ghost.

Adrian thought long and hard about those words. Creeping up in the back of his mind, he knew they were right, but he didn't understand how. He remembered trying to read all the books, but never finding one he liked. He could see himself running down the halls, playing with a woman with huge black wings and causing her to fly into every vase in site. It was strange listening to them, but the more they talked the more his memory found them to be a comforting surrounding.

"I..I don't know?" he said pulling out of the comforter.

"You don't remember us do you? We were given to you as birthday gifts," explained the Fairy, "I when you were nine, Demon when you were 10, Ghost when you were 11, and finally Sword when you turned 12. Your father wouldn't let you have the next card till you mastered the first, but you never failed each year. By the next year you would have everything memorized and your father would give you the next card to learn, till you had us all."

She smiled sweetly and rested on his shoulder hugging a collection of his hair.

"We missed you master," she whispered into his ear and breathed in deeply Adrian's scent, "We are forever in your control."

" I think I remember something," he confessed. He recalled his dreams in the back of his mind and knew as he looked at them around him, that those dreams weren't merely dreams, but memories he had long forgotten, "You are Fairy, Sword, Demon, and Ghost, right?"

"Yes," chirped the Demon. He jumped onto the bed beside him and walked up to him, "We have been with you ever since you mastered our cards. We are your familiars, don't you remember?"

"You kept poking the Zombies in the Main Hall, didn't you?" he recalled.

"Yes I did," smirked the little vampire with glee, "Those dead beats needed a little pick me up."

His small shriveled face smirked up in a huge smile and sat in the sheets. Before Adrian knew it, he recalled all the years that he had been with them. He remembered the way Sword was always so hard to control, and how Fairy was always hiding in his hair when his father would pass, then he remembered his father.

"Father?" he looked thoughtfully at the wall, seeing an image of the man he didn't remember not a day ago, " I have a father?"

All four of the familiar's eyes widened beyond the reaches of their own heads, or hilt, looked at him, and in unison said, "YOU DON'T REMEMBER YOUR FATHER!?" 

"Not really."

"Ack!" commented the Demon who starred in shock expression then shrugged his shoulders, "I guess the clue less look on your face earlier should have been the hint. Although, how you could forget someone like Dracula, is beyond me."

"This isn't good, " added the Ghost, "Dracula will be in here shortly, and he expects to meet his son. I don't think he realizes that his son, doesn't have a clue as to who his father is."

Meanwhile, Adrian's face went dead panned as he listened to them mention the name of his father. ' This has to be a joke,' he told himself, 'Dracula doesn't exist. At least not the Dracula everyone thinks about. He's just the figment of some demented writer, right?' Adrian didn't saw a word.

"Umm," signaled the Fairy, " I think we lost him."

She waved her tiny hand in his face only to face the same dead panned expression. She huffed in frustration till mischief filled her whole being. She flew just below his nose, and fluttered her wings tickling him. Instantly, he shot back scratching his nose and looking at her with a lowered brow.

"What?" she asked innoscently.

"What is going to happen to me?" He inquired, instantly killing her moment of humor. When, all four of their heads bowed, he knew it wasn't going to be good. 

"We really don't know, " informed the Sword, "but he isn't happy with you. You were the one who put him under two hundred years ago, and he hasn't forgotten. You were lucky when you got away and he didn't have a chance to find you, but I wouldn't say it was luck that you happened to just outside the castle when it appeared. I honestly don't know."

Adrian was about to cry. All he knew were some old folklore, and a weak memory coming back to him, and neither were helping him. He instantly saw death in his future, but somehow he knew that would be too easy. His father wouldn't just kill him, his father wasn't the type to give small punishments. He recalled many of the monsters of the castle being late enemies. Then, he realized something ebbing at him form the inside. 

"Something is wrong?" he warned. He tried to find some consolation in their eyes, but they wouldn't face him. They knew something he didn't. He felt it filling his body and a strong pain shoot from his throat to his feet. He clutched himself tightly and laid back against the bed. 

"The sun had set, hadn't it?" asked the Fairy looking at her Master.

The demon looked out the window and his tiny head shook a confirmation.

"I'm sorry Master," said the Sword coming closer. Sweat was dripping down Adrian's body and he couldn't sit still as his jaw was over come by pain and the light of the candles burned in his eyes.

"What's going on?" he pleaded to them.

"Your father noticed you had been less than yourself lately, so had maids give you blood while you slept," answered the Ghost.

"What?" he got out as a sharp sting thrust from his stomach through his system.

"He had reintroduced your system to vampires blood. You had killed that part of you somewhere in your travels, and he wanted his son back."

"What do you mean? What is happening to me?"

"Your Vampiric half is reacting to the blood, and taking over. Don't worry," said the Fairy soothingly in his ear, " It will be alright, and you'll remember everything again."

He buried his face in the mattress trying to withstand the pain, but it wasn't just that that scared him. He was remembering. He recalled growing up in the shadow of his Father, and after the death of his Mother, being just like him. He had murdered hundreds when he followed his father. He cursed his human half for those years and lived completely in his vampiric form. He saw the faces of those he watched being tortured and the empty feeling of power that he bathed in as the Son of Dracula, until the words of his mother sounded in his ears and he realized all that he had done. 

He gripped the sheets and tried his best to tear those memories from his mind, but they wouldn't go. Memory after memory came to him. "I'm not like that!" he demanded, mostly to himself. 

The Familiars just stepped back and waited. They knew what Dracula had planned for his son, they just thought it better not to say anything just yet. He was still trying to recall simple things like his past.

Back in the little village, Richter knew what he had to do. His Grandfather updated him on all that he might have missed and reviewed the basics to him.

"As soon as you wield the whip, everything should start coming back, " informed the Grandfather, " You are a Belmont by blood, so it should all come to you naturally. Okay."

Richter nodded. 

"And be warned, " he added, "Alu…I mean Adrian is in there now, and I don't know what you will find once you enter. Time travels differently in the castle, so don't be surprised if Adrian is different. For him, it could be weeks from now. Dracula's power is endless, so trust your instincts. The souls of those before you will guide you."

Strapping the whip to his belt and taking the short sword into the hilt, Richter Belmont the II charged for the castle. He wasn't going to stop for anyone. Before, he had a wife and a bloodline to continue, but now there was nothing stopping him. He already had a son by a woman in Hawaii, the age in which they lived, was no longer continually prejudice, and as the castle came into view, everything from the rooms to the creatures he knew he would face, flashed before his eyes, and he was ready.

The creak of the castle drawbridge sounded behind him and he found his presence awakened the flaming bats of the castle. Like, time had never passed between his soul then and now, he lashed his whip out through the air and sliced three through the air with one swing. His muscles coursed with the newfound adrenaline and he went in for the kill. Creature after flesh dripping creature came before him and nothing would change his determination. He had to find out what happened to Adrian, and he had to bring down the castle. It was in his blood and every time he raised the whip or felt the resistance of flesh on his sword, he knew it. 

Little by little, Richter felt the Belmont line lead him to his destination till he reached what he hoped would be the last of his battles. He had defeated the monster of legends, in one battle after another, using his past skills to use the potions and spells of the castle, but as he came to one closed door, something wasn't right. He had come to such a door before, when he met the Succumbus, but when the door inched open and all he saw was black innards of a bedroom, he was instantly suspicious.

It was a simple room when compared to some of the others, but it was the most decorated. Huge winged demons held up the curtains of the bed and a thick mirror to his right, and one table stood in the center of the room, adorned only by a bust of a woman and a single black room. He tip-toed in, keeping his whip at hand and his sword in ready position. He inched to the entrance to the closet and spied out the balcony door, but nothing was there. No one seemed to be present, but closed curtains of the bed, made him suspicious. 

With his own instincts screaming at him to run, he came to the slight opening, took a deep breath, and using his sword, swiftly threw open the black shields. He held it open only to find a neatly made bed. A thick black embroidered comforted was tightly pulled, with an enormous complex formation of the letter A held up by a medieval patterned dragon. Long trails of gold and black threads intertwined endlessly in the design, and Richter stopped for a moment to try and follow the trail of one vine that seemed to go on and on. 

After some time he realized that the lines of vines weren't merely a bunch, but one single line woven throughout the entire comforter. He was so engrossed in that pattern he didn't see the mist form behind him or creep around him in a thick blanket. Richter was lost for a moment, when he felt the cool touch of someone's hand massages his back and blowing air across his neck. His body didn't register what his own warnings were screaming, but he leaned back and felt the solid thickness of a person behind him. He turned slightly and looked over his shoulder, to see the face of the one he had fought so hard to find, Adrian. 

"Adrian?" he said, relieved to finally see him. He twisted to attempt to hug him and hold him after being scared out of his mind for him, but Adrian took his shoulders firmly and held Richter with his back facing him. He bent lightly to kiss his neck and brush the brown locks to the side so he could trace those kisses to the back of his neck. He pulled his arms around him and pulled Richter against him, and Richter was lost. With each kiss, his skin tingled, and when he felt the length of Adrian's body finally pressed against his, he closed his eyes and savored every moment. He didn't care about where he was or what was happening, he had just longed for that feeling for so long, he didn't care if he would die in the next few minutes. He gripped Adrian's hand as it traveled under his shirt and across his chest, and almost cried when his other hand played near the fabric of his crotch. Richter tried to hold on to the whip as long as he could, but when Adrian finally let Richter turn to face him, breathed light touches across his face until Adrian reached the hesitant lips in front of him, and kissed him, the whip crashed to the floor. 

The minute the sound of the leather beat against the stone floor, Adrian pushed Richter against the bed and pinned him to the black silks. He held his hands above him and assaulted his lips with a skill Richter couldn't imagine. Adrian who blushed at the site of the manga, and Adrian who couldn't fathom the idea of getting pleasure from sleeping with a guy, pressed their lips in a battle that left him staring off into oblivion. His eyes fell shut, and he forfeited to every touch Adrian offered. He kissed a line down his neck, to the rim of his collar. He licked at his chin and Richter felt him bring his hands over his shoulders. He didn't even realize it when Adrian took the two ends of his shirt in his fingers, but when the sudden rush of cool air swarmed over his newly exposed chest, Richter gasped in shock when it hit him as to who was tearing off his clothing. 

Adrian continued exploring Richter's body inch by inch, and teased him to the brink of begging. He rocked into Richter's crotch with his own, and lined kisses to the base of his stomach. Richter was mad with lust, but when he tried anything to free himself from his confining garments, or attempted to touch the heavenly site above him, Adrian would snap his arms above him and purr seductively into his ear. Alucard basked in the pleasure of torturing Richter and he knew exactly how to do it. The moment he walked into the castle he knew Richter was more than just interested in Adrian, and now he had Richter begging for something he wouldn't allow. Not yet. 

Alucard brought his lips back up to Richter's and smiled into those huge brown eyes. Richter was a handsome man to say the least. He had a main of silken cinnamon hair, and beautifully detailed eyes. He brought his mouth close, concealing his secret in his closed smile, till he felt Richter's lips part to his, and Alucard wrapped Richter's mind in an Illusion. Blood transferred in the recesses for their mouths and Richter's mind was fooled by the taste of wine. Richter suckled the sweet taste that invaded his thoughts, and lavished in the sensations that enraptured his entire body. 

Again Adrian traveled to his neck, but this time he held Richter tight. He suckled the flesh in his arms and gripped a hand-full of hair beneath him. He grazed his teeth over the creamy skin and laughed silently under his breath as he got a whiff of the blood that coursed just underneath epidermal layer. He hesitated while he held Richter still, as some strange force was pulling him away. He couldn't understand it, but it annoyed him to no end. Something kept, trying to stop him from making his moves, but taking the initiative he gripped Richter tighter pulling his head back and tore into the hot flesh. Liquid red burst from the wounds and nothing mattered, but the sanguine fluid.

Richter was jolted back into reality as he felt the sharp rush of pain envelop his entire body. He struggled to get away, but was met with the rough pull of Alucard's own hands holding him down. He shoved his body closer, keeping him still and Richter was left powerless under his grip. He couldn't move, more than an elbow from his grasp, and his head was beginning to swirl. His vision began blurring and he knew he had to get out. He closed his eyes, to try and think of something to do or say, then it struck him. He breathed deeply and with a struggle that went against his own heart he screamed, a curse into the winds. 

Immediately, Alucard was repelled by an invisible fire. He roared in protest and his fangs bore like knives into Richter's heart. He looked at him, keeping his mind concentrated on the spell and knew it wasn't his Adrian. The man before him snarled in disgust, and tried three times to get back at him, but Richter wouldn't allow it. He picked up his whip and tried to find an answer. 

"Adrian?" he asked, hoping for some sign of the one he had fallen in love with, but there was nothing. Yet, something was familiar about this. 

Finally, figuring he couldn't get to Richter close enough to drain him, he went in for plan B. He stood up smugly and brushed the blood from his face. His yellow eyes burned with ferocity and with his hands, he called on the spirits to try and take away Richter's soul. Richter clasped his free hand to his neck to cover it while his other reacted in whipping the spirits away.

"Adrian!!" he warned. He didn't want to kill him. To look on him now was killing, him, but he was confused. Adrian's next attack singed his jacket, and his mind raced from the loss of blood. Richter felt his own crimson essence drip from his wound and he felt the sting of heartbreak when he thought back in his mind, "he bit me." 

He dashed to the side and jumped over the bed to get out of the way, but every time he tried to raise his whip to attack Adrian, he was shattered by his own heart, and this creature in Adrian's body knew it. He attacked and attacked with out fear, standing proudly in the room. He didn't bother to hide or make excuses, he knew Richter wouldn't dare harm him.

Richter had to cover his ears from the sounds of the crashing and howling outside. He could hear the laughing of the dark Lord echoing in the castle at his weakness, and Adrian's whimsical giggle soon joined him, when he met no resistance. Richter knew something was wrong, but he couldn't see it. He had seen this scene before, but it was different some how. He glanced over the bed when the room went silent, finding the room once again empty. He jumped up and scanned about, knowing full well he hadn't left, and at the same time asking himself, " is this the real Son of Dracula, or is Adrian still there?"

Quickly, instinct took him by surprise and he saw the mist form across the floor and inch towards his feet. He leaped to the ceiling and landed on the chandelier. As the formation once again took on Alucards form, something clicked. Like a vision just beyond his thoughts, he saw Adrian fighting him, but the time was different. Richter, couldn't do anything for himself, but Alucard was there for him. 

"He had helped Maria, by helping me, and at the same time, didn't attack me at all," whispered Richter to himself. He watched Adrian's movements glide across the stone floors and conjured something before him by the window. Richter took a hold of the chandelier tightly, as flames burst from his hands and lit up his face in orange hues, but it was then that Richter saw something above him. Like the light of the sun against the moon, the flames gave way to a new target, and Richter remembered, "it wasn't me who fought Adrian all those years before, it was him."

Instantly, Richter knew what to do. Taking a leap of faith and calling out another curse of his own, he lashed through the air with the determination of an angel of heaven defending the gates of paradise, he charged the whip with a forgotten prayer, and attacked the invisible orb above him. His whip made contact and Alucard screamed as his mind was torn from the controlling conscience. His mind was torn from its comfortable surroundings and he hit the floor when Richter followed his attack with his short sword and shattered the orb above him. Millions of brilliant lights scattered across the room and fell slowly like fireflies falling towards the water. 

Adrian breathed deeply and Richter waited for some answer to come. He didn't know if that had been all, but when Adrian looked up at him and the recognition was still vacant, his love fell from the heavens. He knelt down to face him in the eyes, but Adrian was so confused. He didn't know what was real anymore. He had been brought to a castle, overrun with evil, and finally taken over by a force he couldn't stop. His insides ached for the liquid that dripped from this man's neck, but he wasn't sure if he was real as well. It couldn't have been him. Richter had left him. 

Adrian attempted to crawl away, and turn into his wolf form, but Richter pulled him back. He could see the chaos in his eyes and he reacted in the only way he knew how, he kissed him. This time he didn't care if this was the Adrian he knew, or the one that he had loved for centuries, he had to let him know in the only way he could with out words. His kiss was simple but loved, he kissed his forehead and caressed his bottom lip with his thumb. 

"I love you," he whispered close to Adrian, so only he could hear him. Adrian's eyes wondered around the room at first for a few moments, until a tear slid down his tender pale cheek, and Adrian gripped him tightly.

"I missed you," he cried into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, " he apologized to him. 

"For what?"

"For leaving you."

Adrian stopped only to see the pleading heart set before him and smiled.

What followed was the determination of not one Belmont, but one Belmont and the fury of his own son. Dracula was a formidable enemy, but each knew him well. They had fought Dracula before, and new his tactics better than he knew them himself, Richter shattered his body with the force of his whip, and Alucard damned him with the pounding of a spear through his father's heart. Spirits wailed for their freedom from this purgatory they had been condemned to, and the followers of Dracula begged from their fresh graves to be released, but as Dracula watched the shadow of his own son walk away from his dying body, he felt anger inflame his heart. He wanted them dead. He raised his hand to invoke a spell that would destroy them both. It would incinerate their bodies and deliver them to hell on a silver platter, but when Adrian turned to reflect his gaze back at himself, he saw Lisa. He was his last tie to Lisa, and he could never turn his back on her again. His hand dropped and Castlevania fell from the realm of the earthly plain once again. 

CHAPTER 4

Dusk had returned for the night. It hung in the land, coating Romania in a cerulean blanket. Richter and Adrian rested on a rock, merely recalling to themselves all that they had been through. For two generations they had fought Dracula, and returned to fight him again. Adrian curled underneath Richter's chin's and nuzzled into his chest for comfort, but Richter remained silent. He didn't say a word between them, and only watched as the sun said its farewell to the day.

"Richter," nudged Adrian, "Are you okay?"

No answer came. He wrapped his arm around Adrian tighter and brought him closer to his body and kissed the top of his head.

"Richter?"

"I don't want you to be unhappy anymore."

"I'll be all right."

"No, you won't."

Adrian sat up startled by his direct answer. 

"I love you," confessed Richter, "even when you didn't remember who you were, and I had no notion of who I was, I loved you. I merely played the friend, because I knew then, that you wouldn't want me, but I can't hide it anymore, and I can't ignore this chance we have been given."

"What do you mean?"

Richter didn't say anything, for a moment, but looked at him. He took in every detail and memorized his every virtue into his soul; he had made a decision. 

"Yes."

"Yes to what?"

Adrian didn't get it at first. He sat their puzzled and Richter just smirked. 

"What?" demanded Adrian.

Richter leaned in and kissed his cheek and down his neck. He licked at the pliant flesh beneath him and whispered airily, "this." 

For those moments, Adrian had no idea what he was talking about, till his nose caught the scent of the wound around Richter's neck. He breathed it in deeply and remembered the cottage from far away. He remembered the one thing in life he would have given everything for, and with the eagerness of a two-year-old discovering chocolate, he tore into the flesh. He gulped the last of Richter's blood and laid him out onto the grass. He kissed at his nose, and watched Richter's eyes close to those day-lit hours he had grown so fond of, and open to the eternal paradise with the one he loved. 

^.^ oops…okay….I guess some habits are harder to break than I thought. Hehehe.


End file.
